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Jonjo Shelvey further dented Manchester City\u2019s hopes of retaining their Premier League title as they were held to a 2-2 draw at Newcastle.<\/p>\nJonjo Shelvey further dented Manchester City\u2019s hopes of retaining their Premier League title as they were held to a 2-2 draw at Newcastle.<\/p>\n
Jetro Willems cancelled out Raheem Sterling\u2019s 15th goal of the season but Kevin De Bruyne thought he had won it with a fine 82nd-minute strike.<\/p>\n
But Shelvey curled home a brilliant 87th-minute equalizer which, coupled with Martin Dubravka\u2019s stoppage-time save from Sterling, ensured the game finished level.<\/p>\n
City, who started the day nine points behind Liverpool, dominated possession throughout but could not turn the pressure into enough goals to atone for their defensive fragility in front of a crowd of 49,937 at St James\u2019 Park.<\/p>\n
City full-backs Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy played as auxiliary midfielders when they were in possession as the Magpies retreated to form a black-and-white wall.<\/p>\n
But they were unable to prise their way through and it was the Magpies who mounted the first attack of note when Shelvey picked out Allan Saint-Maximin down the left and he cut inside to scuff a seventh-minute shot straight at goalkeeper Ederson.<\/p>\n
Fernandinho headed over from a De Bruyne corner, but the home side responded with Shelvey curling a 20th-minute free-kick just wide after Saint-Maximin had been fouled by De Bruyne.<\/p>\n
However, it was City who took the lead two minutes later when David Silva back-heeled the ball into the path of Sterling after it had ricocheted back to him from Isaac Hayden\u2019s challenge and the England forward blasted home from close range.<\/p>\n
Newcastle were level within three minutes when Willems \u2013 whose only other Newcastle goal came against Liverpool \u2013 played a one-two with Miguel Almiron before thumping a low right-foot drive past Ederson. It was the Paraguay international\u2019s first assist since his \u00a321million arrival in January.<\/p>\n
Dubravka needed two attempts to claim Sterling\u2019s rising 33rd-minute strike and was relieved to see De Bruyne\u2019s stoppage-time effort deflected into his waiting arms as the Magpies made it to the break on level terms.<\/p>\n
Federico Fernandez\u2019s barnstorming run from his own penalty area sparked a rare Newcastle counter-attack which saw Shelvey send a 54th-minute free-kick just wide after Fernandinho had barged Joelinton to the ground 30 yards out.<\/p>\n
Javier Manquillo had to produce a last-ditch tackle to deny Gabriel Jesus after De Bruyne and Sterling had picked a path through in the 65th minute, and Dubravka had to turn away a dangerous De Bruyne cross seconds later.<\/p>\n
The Slovakia international pulled off a fine 68th-minute double save to deny Jesus and De Bruyne and saw substitute Bernardo Silva drag a left-foot shot wide four minutes later with the pressure mounting.<\/p>\n
However, he was powerless to resist when De Bruyne pounced after Mendy\u2019s cross had been half-cleared, chesting the ball down before firing home off the underside of the crossbar.<\/p>\n
But there was to be a further twist when, with three minutes remaining, substitute Christian Atsu played a free-kick square to Shelvey, who sent a sumptuous curling effort beyond Ederson\u2019s despairing dive to snatch a point.<\/p>\n